Over the years, there have been a number of proposals for convertible bowling lanes. One such proposal is in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,933 issued Sep. 17, 1968 to Conklin et al., the details of which are herein incorporated by reference. The Conklin et al. patent discloses a construction wherein the gutters along the sides of a lane bed are mounted for movement between raised and lowered positions. In the lowered position, the concave surface of the gutter faces upward as with a conventional gutter and is able to freely receive a ball leaving the lane bed.
In the raised position, each gutter exposes an elongated rail or bumper which faces the lane bed. A ball moving toward the side of the lane bed is prevented from leaving the lane bed by reason of the location of the rail in proximity to the lane bed. That is to say, the ball will strike the rail before it can leave the lane bed.
In this way, the ball is essentially restrained on the lane bed and may carom from one side to the other along the substantial majority of the length of the bed.
A curtain interconnects the side of the lane bed and the gutter just below the rail thereon. This curtain obscures that part of the lane construction underneath the gutter as well as the underside of the gutter itself. It also acts as a stop to limit movement of the gutter as it is moved towards its raised position.
A motor driven winch system is provided for raising or lowering the gutter. Elongated cables are reeved about sheaves pivoted to levers which, in turn, are affixed to the gutter at a plurality of locations along the length thereof. By pulling in on the cable, the gutters may be moved to their raised position for carom bowling while by paying out cable, the gutters may be lowered to their conventional bowling position.
In addition, an elongated tape switch is associated with the rail for the purpose of detecting ball-rail contact and alerting the user of the lane to that fact.
As can be readily appreciated, the Conklin et al. system is somewhat complex in terms of both the provision for means for raising and lowering the gutters between their two operative positions and in terms of providing some means of detecting ball-rail contact. In many instances, the degree of sophistication in the Conklin et al. system is not required. By way of example, the Conklin et al. system is useful in instructing novice bowlers.
While learning the game of conventional bowling, it is not unusual for novices to throw many "gutter" balls which is to say, balls which leave the lane bed before they travel to the pin deck to down pins thereon. Particularly with younger bowlers, the throwing of an inordinate number of gutter balls can be very discouraging; and by use of the Conklin et al. lane configured for carom bowling, that occurrence can be prevented. As a consequence, instruction of novice bowlers is made easier.
At the same time, there is no need in such an instructional situation for any means for detecting ball-rail contact.
Furthermore, where novices are bowling simultaneously with more experienced bowlers who do not require the presence of the rails for preventing the throwing of gutter balls, the Conklin et al. winch system may be considered by some to be somewhat slow in shifting the gutters between conventional bowling and carom bowling positions. Since bowling is normally paid for by the "line" or "game", any slowing down of playing a game can adversely affect the proprietors income. Consequently, there is a need for a convertible bowling lane that can be rapidly converted between conventional bowling and carom bowling positions.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the above problems.